So Kee Coffee & Milk Tea 蘇記咖啡、奶茶 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

So Kee Coffee & Milk Tea (蘇記咖啡、奶茶) is a highly popular traditional Hong Kong–style stall located on the 2nd floor of the Tai Po Hui Market and Cooked Food Centre (大埔墟街市及熟食中心). It’s a favorite with locals for its exceptionally smooth milk tea and its robust ginger soup beef macaroni.

My team and I are in Tai Po for some business engagement and decided to stop by So Kee for its signature milk tea.

Once we found a table in the corner, we finally got served our iced milk tea. It was made from a custom blend of several tea leaves, and the result was incredibly silky and aromatic. Unfortunately, there wasn’t quite enough condensed milk to deliver that perfect creamy finish.

Still, it was a great moment — just enough time to enjoy a sip of tea before we got back to work.

Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: $$

Address: Shop CFS37, 2/F, Tai Po Hui Market and Cooked Food Centre, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, NT, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tai Po Market

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 2:30pm (Tue - Sun)

Li's "aluminum-free" Youtiao Kunshan Road 李氏無鋁油條 昆山路店 (Shanghai, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

It’s our last day in Shanghai, and it strikes me that we haven’t yet had a proper, authentic local breakfast. Of course, with my luggage half-packed, I wasn’t going to head out for a sit-down breakfast in my pajamas. Instead, I’m calling the ever-reliable Meituan (美團) for delivery.

There weren’t many breakfast spots near the North Bund (北外滩) that offered delivery, but I managed to find one by the name of Li's "aluminum-free" Youtiao (李氏无铝油条 direct translation!!! 😆😆). It had a rating above 4 (out of 5) and delivered right to our hotel. Without hesitation, I clicked on the shop’s name and started ordering.

The “Four Breakfast Warriors” (早餐四大金剛)

A trip to Shanghai is not complete without the city’s “Four Breakfast Warriors (四大金剛)”: youtiao (油條), glutinous rice balls called cifantuan (粢飯糰), sesame pancakes called dabing (大餅), and soy milk (or doujiang 豆漿).

The breakfast set (¥9) includes two of the four warriors — youtiao and savory soy milk plus a tea smoked egg. I ordered a cifantuan separately for another ¥7, but since I was still feeling a little stuffed from last night’s supper, I happily skipped the dabing.

All it took was around 15 minutes for everything to arrive at the hotel lobby. I called reception to make sure they sent the food up before it all cooled off.

Youtiao (油條) — Nice, bouncy texture, slightly chewy in a good way. I swallowed it up after a nice dip into the soy milk.

Cifantuan (粢飯糰) — My aunt is Shanghainese, so I grew up eating this a lot. How I remembered it: the layer of glutinous rice was noticeably thinner, but the center of youtiao and pork floss remained constant. Love this!

Savory soy milk (豆漿) — I’ve never been a fan of this. Isn’t soy milk supposed to be sweet? This one came with vegetables and minced meat.

Tea smoked egg — Little nugget had it so I had no idea how this tasted.

It was nice to finally cross the “Four Breakfast Warriors” off my list. Well — three out of four, at least. Now it’s time to get back to packing and head over to the airport.

P.S.  Yes, you read this right. Li's opens at 4am daily.

Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: ¥

Address: 254-25, Zhapu Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, China

上海市虹口区乍浦路254弄27号

Closest Metro Station: North Sichuan Road (四川北路)

Tel: +86 13661559954

Opening Hours: 4:00am - 12:00pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/0b/TNiM

Kasanoya かさの家 (Dazaifu, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

A trip to Dazaifu is not complete without tasting its Umegae mochi (梅が枝餅), a traditional Japanese sweet unique in the area, consisting of a thin, chewy rice cake filled with sweet azuki red bean paste, grilled to a crisp on a hot iron plate with a plum blossom stamp. Sold as a warm, toasted, and slightly salty delicacy, it is best enjoyed freshly baked near the famous Dazaifu Tenmangū Shrine (太宰府天滿宮).

To find the best Umegae mochi in Dazaifu, just follow the longest line and you’ll likely end up at Kasanoya (かさの家), located right across the street from Dazaifu’s remarkably designed Starbucks.

Situated on the buzzing Dazaifu Tenmangu approach/Omotesando (太宰府天滿宮参道), you can watch the chefs diligently flipping the hot iron plates behind the scenes — an experience in itself!

After less than 10 minutes in the line, I finally got us some sizzling hot Umegae mochi!

I had this last time around during the summer, but in winter time amidst the cold weather, this tasted even better as a heart-warming snack.

Now, we have just enough time to visit Dazaifu Tenmangū Shrine before sunset.

Mission complete!

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: ￥￥

Address: 2-7-24 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka 818-0117, Japan

Closest Train Station: Dazaifu

Tel: +81 (0)92-922-1010

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 6:00pm daily

Kasanaya Okinohata カサナヤ沖端 (Yanagawa, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

Yanagawa City  (柳川市) is a peaceful and historic town in Fukuoka Prefecture known for its picturesque canals and “donkobune” boat rides.

And Okinohata (沖端), one of the most scenic and culturally rich parts of the city, is where time slows down, and history flows as gently as the canals that wind through the neighborhood. 

Since Okinohata is literally in the backyard of our hotel, we couldn’t resist heading there to soak in the vibe. Quaint shops line the narrow streets, many of them selling fresh local produce, crafts, and specialties unique to the area. But what really caught our attention was a little gem tucked in between the city's iconic unagi eel restaurants — a cozy snack shop called Kasanaya Okinohata (カサナヤ沖端).

Kasanaya Okinohata keeps its focus razor-sharp with a menu of just four items but every one of them punches above its weight in flavor and flair.

Mutuyaki (220 yen) — A whimsical twist on the classic taiyaki (鯛焼き), the mutuyaki is cooked in a blowfish-shaped mold rather than a sea bream. Its golden, waffle-like batter is lightly crisped on the outside and pillowy soft inside.

One can choose from four fillings: red bean paste, custard, chestnut, and a savory ham and mayo. Being a sweet tooth myself, I went with the custard option. The crust was nice and spongy while the custard cream was smooth with a mild sweetness. The overall experience was a delightful one although I won't mind a little more sweetness in the custard. 

All in all, it’s the kind of snack that makes you smile even before the first bite.

Shrimp cracker 🦐 (700 yen) — For an Instagram-worthy bite, look no further than this shrimp cracker. The freshly made cracker arrives piping hot and fanned out across a wire rack. 

It takes about 6–8 minutes to make, but the anticipation only added to the experience especially for little nugget, who could barely contain his excitement watching it come to life.

The texture was crispy and airy with bright flavors of shrimp and umami that came mostly from two large prawns as toppings. It was our first time trying freshly made shrimp crackers, and honestly, I thought 700 yen for something this fresh and eye-catching was a total steal!

With our snacks in hand, we found a quiet spot by the canal to take in the scenery while we munched away. For under 1,000 yen, we've feasted on two hand-crafted, high-quality snacks under the late morning sun. Kasanaya Okinohata isn’t a place you stumble upon in guidebooks, but it’s exactly the kind of little treasure that makes traveling in Japan so magical.

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: ￥￥

Address: 34 Okinohatamachi, Yanagawa, Fukuoka 832-0065, Japan

Tel: +81 (0)80-3956-9329

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 4:30pm (Thu - Tue)

Super Banana 超級香蕉 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

After lunch, we took the subway to Nantou Ancient City (南頭古城) for a relaxing tour of the walled city in the heart of Shenzhen that dated back to 1394. The local government has really done a nice job restoring the area and transforming it into a charming lifestyle and entertainment hub. While modern residential buildings still surround the area, several pieces of ancient architecture remain beautifully preserved.

Take this ancient courtroom, for instance.

It instantly brought back a flood of memories from those classic Stephen Chow movies!

The streets are now lined with trendy cafés and restaurants, blending old-world charm with modern flair.

We decided to check out one of the small bakery shops on an alley by the name of Super Banana (超級香蕉), known for its banana-shaped banana cake (香蕉燒). 

This came in all kinds of interesting flavors. Beyond the original banana flavor, there were chocolate mochi, taro purée, taro cheese, taro with pork floss, purple sweet potato, and even durian.

There was a short lineup when I arrived, which gave me the perfect chance to watch the chef in action. First, she carefully poured the banana-flavored flour into the mold. 

Then carefully added a dollop of banana purée into the center.

After a five-minute wait, they were ready to be served. The banana cake was served in an adorable little plastic container shaped like a banana ; a fun and playful touch that made the treat even more memorable. 🍌🍌

I absolutely loved the texture of this banana cake. It was slightly crispy on the outside but soft and moist inside with the runny banana purée waiting to burst! For $9, that was a huge find! And mom was asking why I didn't buy more of these to share among the five of us.

Nantou Ancient Town turns out to be a lot of more fun than we expected. I would most definitely come back, especially to support the local vendors who work so hard in the community.

Food Rating: 6.5/10

Price: ¥

Address: No.72-1, Nantou Ancient City, Chaoyang South Street, Futian, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区南头古城朝阳南街 72-1号

Closest Metro Station: Nantou Ancient City (南头古城)

Tel: +86 (755) 15581237850

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/b3/wAAk

Nakatanidou 中谷堂 (Nara, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

We are spending the majority of our Christmas Eve in Nara today with one of little nugget's best friends and his family. After waking up early in the morning (again!), we found ourselves on the Hanshin Namba-Nara Line (阪神本線難波奈良線). Thirty minutes later, here we are at Kintetsu-Nara Station (近鉄奈良駅).

As we emerged out of the station, we immediately hit the entrance of Higashimuki Shopping Street (東向商店街) which would quickly lead us to Sanjo-dori Street, one of the main roads in Nara. 

Following the path of Sanjo-dori Street would eventually lead us to our destination, Nara Park (奈良公園) but first thing first, it was time to check out a few of the local delicacies.

Located on Sanjo-dori Street not too far from the clock tower, Nakatanidou (中谷堂) is a renowned Japanese sweets shop celebrated for its exquisite mochi and traditional confections. Founded in 1868, this charming shop has become a beloved destination for both locals and tourists alike. 

Nakatanidou is particularly famous for its freshly made yomogi mochi made with a Japanese wild plant known as mugwort.

The yomogi mochi (or otherwise known as the mugwort mochi) is a delicate rice cake that is skillfully pounded and shaped often served with fillings of red bean paste. 

The result of the powerful pounding was this soft and slightly chewy yomogi mochi, which has been finished off with a nice sprinkle of kinako (roasted soybean flour).

The skin of this mochi was pretty thin but full of herbal flavors from the mugwort infused rice flour.

Food Rating: 5.2/10

Price: ￥

Address: 29 Hashimotocho, Nara, 630-8217, Japan

Closest Metro/Train Station: Kintetsu-Nara

Tel: +81 (0)742 23-0141

Website: www.nakatanidou.jp

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 6:00pm (Wed - Mon)

 

Takoyaki Juhachiban Sons Dohtonbori Ten たこ焼き 十八番 道頓堀店 (Osaka, JAPAN) ★★★☆☆

I was supposed to call it the night after dinner but I got a ping from Jelloman asking me to meet up at Dotonbori Bridge. Didn't take long for mom and me to get there and to my pleasant surprise, the busiest place in all of Osaka didn't look all that busy tonight.

Turned out Jelloman and little nugget wanted some takoyaki for their late-night snacks. While they immediately lined up in front of their favorite spot for takoyaki, Dotonbori Konamon Museum, I decided to go a different route tonight. Takoyaki Juhachiban Sons Dohtonbori Ten (たこ焼き 十八番 道頓堀店) has been on my to-do list since my first trip to Osaka many years ago. I thought it's time to check it off the list tonight.

These two are touted for serving the best takoyaki in Dotonbori and they are just a few metres apart.

      

This is interesting. They're adding some puffed rice on top of the octopus balls.

Look how skillful the chef was rolling the takoyaki over.

      

This would normally take half an hour to an hour to queue for but with the surprisingly few tourists on hand, I was able to get it in 15 minutes.

You can see the main difference in Takoyaki Juhachiban Sons Dohtonbori's version, the crispy puffed rice on top of the octopus ball giving it some extra crispiness. 

As soon as we were done with the takoyaki, I was ready to head back to the hotel but this guy seemed to have a different plan.

Food Rating: 5.8/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 1-7-21 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 542-0071 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Shinsaibashi

Website: http://d-sons18.co.jp/free/shop_dotonbori

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm daily

Wa Kee Hong Kong Cafe 華記香港冰室 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★☆☆☆☆

We have a day trip to Shenzhen with little nugget and the elderlies planned for this afternoon. Since little one wasn’t available until after 1:15pm, I was offered the chance to travel north on my own for an early start. My better half is always so thoughtful! 😘😘

Following countless rounds of games at the arcade centre, my team was yet to report that they have crossed the border. So, rather than waiting much longer, I decided to go grab a quick bite at Wongtee Plaza (皇庭廣場).

Wa Kee Hong Kong Cafe (華記香港冰室), a street food specialist in Hong Kong is one of the first to open in Shenzhen years ago and they have their flagship store on the ground floor of Wongtee Plaza, conveniently located near the arcade centre. It was way too convenient for me to refuse.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) – The tea wasn’t very strong but I didn't need it to be strong today. Just enough creaminess already did the trick for me.

Stewed beef brisket with chu hou sauce over rice (柱侯牛腩飯) – I have never heard of Wa Kee in my life but judging from their menu, they should be adept with local cha chaan teng classics like curry fish balls, curry beef brisket, macaroni in rich tomato sauce and more. Since beef brisket has been mentioned multiple times on the menu, I got it that it must be one of their signature items. At least that was my educated guess. 😅😅

I ended up getting some stewed beef brisket cooked with chu hou sauce over rice. The beef brisket cut into smaller cubes, wasn’t tender with natural juice coming from every bite like I was expecting it to be. There was no tendon (my fav) accompanying the meat, just a few pieces of turnips on top of the beef cubes. This reminded me of the canteen food I had back in my school days but last time I checked, it didn’t cost me 61RMB (HK74?). I should be having a feast in SZ with that kind of money.

Food Rating: 3.5/10

Price: ¥¥¥¥

Address: Shop No. G39/50, G/F Wongtee Plaza, 118 Fuhua Road, Futian, Guangzhou, China

深圳市福田区福华三路118号皇庭广场 G39/50铺

Closest Metro Station: Convention & Exhibition Centre (會展中心)

Tel: +86 19924567870

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 9:30pm daily